Imagine lying back on a warm night, looking up at the sky, and being surrounded by stars that twinkle like diamonds. This is the enchanting experience of stargazing in Gran Canaria, a place where the night sky comes alive with celestial wonders.
Pico de Las Nieves seams like an obvious spot to me.
Last year I went to Tasartico for stargazing, and it was very nice.
Astonishing Telescopes and Space Discoveries
The Canary Islands are like a playground for people who love to study the stars. There are special places here called observatories that have super-powerful telescopes. These telescopes help scientists learn amazing things about space. Imagine looking at distant galaxies or even planets up close – that’s what happens in these observatories!
Seeing Stars in the Dark Sky Reserves
Some parts of the Canary Islands are so special that they’ve been given a special title: Dark Sky Reserves. This means the sky here is really dark at night, so you can see stars shining super bright. La Palma and Fuerteventura are two of these special places. When you look up, you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by a sea of stars.
Try Campamento el Garañón. They shut the lights off at 12 and there are no trees.
Guigüí for sure, but that’s super close to Tasartico. The problem with Garañón is that from September to May you’re most probably finding out a cloudy sky, dark as nuts but without stars.
Nature and Stars – Perfect Together
Gran Canaria has really cool landscapes that make stargazing even more awesome. Picture this: you’re lying on a sandy beach or on a hill covered in plants, and above you, there’s a sky full of stars. It’s like the stars are putting on a show just for you!
Pico de Las Nieves has a military base with big lights right next to it, so I wouldn’t recommend.
I did a stargazing tour once near the Llanos de La Pez campsite (I’ve also camped there a different time, and it was quite good) once. It’s a good spot, and it is usually above the clouds. But it does get cold up there at night! However, colder = clearer. And even if there are no clouds, there’s typically enough calima around to make it very tricky. The cold shouldn’t be too bad in August. To be exact, we went here (Google Maps link, opens in new window), but I wasn’t sure if the exact spot is private land, it might be. Any spot in the area away from the trees should work.
Special Things You Can See
The Canary Islands are in a special spot that lets you see things not everyone can see. If you’re used to the sky in the northern part of the world, you might see something called the Southern Cross here – it’s like a special group of stars. Also, there’s something called the zodiacal light, which is like a faint glow in the sky caused by sunlight bouncing off tiny bits of stuff in space.
Higher up, above the clouds is the best for stargazing. Search on Google Maps for observatories.
Stargazing for Everyone
Don’t worry if you’re not a space expert – stargazing in the Canary Islands is for everyone. You don’t need to know everything about stars. There are friendly people who can show you around and help you understand what you’re looking at. It’s like going on a new adventure, but it’s in the sky!
Roque Nublo’s peak or Pico de las Nieves!
So, if you ever find yourself in the Canary Islands, make sure to take a moment to look up at the night sky. You’ll be in for a treat as you witness the universe’s amazing light show right above you. It’s a bit like magic – the kind that only happens in the Canary Islands.
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